This post is about backyard landscaping ideas on a budget. First, a little background so you’ll understand why I’m writing this.
My First House
When I first bought my house, I had grand visions for the backyard. Those visions quickly led to overwhelm and having no idea what to do. I remember walking around the backyard thinking about what to do with the space.
Usually those walks would start with optimism and end with me walking back into the house cursing the mostly empty dirt lot I called a “backyard.”
My Mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes trying to landscape my backyard–with many of those mistakes costing me an unnecessary amount of money. Some of the mistakes I made:
- Installing irrigation before I had a real plan
- Putting plants in the wrong areas of the yard
- Adding mulch before I got a dog
- Landscaping in areas where I ended up building an ADU
These were all preventable that could have been avoidable with better planning.
Backyard Landscaping Ideas on a Budget
Here are 10 backyard landscaping ideas on a budget anyone can use. Whether you have a small space, medium-sized backyard, or large lot–these tips are for you.
Number 1: Assess Your Outdoor Space
The first step in creating backyard landscaping ideas on a budget is to assess your outdoor space.
- How much space do you have?
- What do you want to use your backyard for?
- Who will you be hosting in your backyard? Friends, family, kids, etc.
- What do you want the flow of your yard to look like?
The answer to these questions will help you create a vision for your backyard, which is next on the list.
Number 2: Create Your Vision
Now that you have an idea of what you want from your backyard, create a vision. If you have kids, do you want a large area for them to play in? For those with dogs, is there a spot you want reserved for just the dog?
If you want to put in a pool, do you have a spot in the yard you can fence off? For those wanting to host summer parties, will you be creating more sitting and shade areas so people aren’t baking in the sun?
Number 3: Don’t Rush
This was a mistake I made. I was in such a rush to get my backyard going that I made a lot of mistakes. Fortunately, the mistakes didn’t cost me a ton of money because they weren’t that big, but they did cost me some money and a lot of wasted time.
I referenced my mistakes above so I won’t re-hash them here, but what I can say is they were due to lack of planning and rushing. If I had slowed down a little bit, it would have prevented 75% of the mistakes I made, saving me time and money.
Number 4: Get Estimates from Professionals
You may decide to DIY your whole backyard but it helps to get estimates from professionals. Backyard landscaping ideas on a budget don’t all have to come from you or something you read online.
Professionals can come in and give you ideas you never thought of. Even if you decide not to use their services, you can still get good ideas.
You can also DIY part of your yard while hiring a professional to do certain parts. This is a great way to save money because you take care of the easier things that don’t take a lot of skill, while hiring a professional to do things like put down turf, pavers, concrete, etc.
Number 5: Border Inexpensively
This is a money saving tip I used for my own yard. I bordered the edges of the yard inexpensively with existing trees and rocks. The established trees require less water and rocks don’t require anything. The borders of the backyard are also areas the dog can do his business (yeah, you have to think of that stuff too) and not mess up the turf.
You can also border the yard inexpensively with mulch, decomposed granite (DG), native plants, etc. The mulch and DG don’t require much upkeep, if any, while native plants usually use minimal water. These are all big money savers and they look nice.
Number 6: DIY What You Can
Tip number six of backyard landscaping ideas on a budget is DIY what you can. For me (being unskilled), this meant doing as much of the unskilled labor as I could and hiring out the rest.
If you have above average skills, you can probably do the majority of the work on your own.
I have many friends who are very good at laying pavers, installing turf, pouring cement, etc. They were actually able to do all of the work on their backyards themselves, easily saving them in the tens of thousands.
Related: Building a World-Class Man Cave on a Budget: 7 Steps
Number 7: Lighting-Solar Lights, Outdoor String Lights
Every great backyard needs lighting. Fortunately, lighting is easier than it’s ever been before. The days of having to install electrical underground for backyard lighting are pretty much over with the advent of solar products.
For example, these products are super easy to put in and are all solar powered.
And while most outdoor string lights aren’t solar (some are), they are easy to plug into an outdoor outlet, saving the hassle of having to wire for lighting underground. These are the ones I bought five years ago and they’re still going strong.
Number 8: Seating Area
Every great backyard needs a seating area, preferably with a good amount of shade. There are a lot of options here. You can put together a gazebo, add seating under a tree, use an existing patio cover, put up a couple shade umbrellas, etc.
For the evening, combine your seating area with good lighting and you’ve got a really cool evening experience for a very reasonable price.
Number 9: Play Area
This is especially important if you have kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, etc. Add a nice play area for the kids to play. Put it adjacent to the sitting area so that it’s easy to watch the kids.
Something we did with our yard is put the play area in a part of the yard we can easily see from inside the house. That way we can be in or out and still keep an eye on the kids.
Related: How to Save on Childcare: 8 Tips
Number 10: Miscellaneous Areas
Number 10 on the list of backyard landscaping ideas on a budget is the miscellaneous category. Depending on the size of your backyard, you may or may not have room for an area like this.
This is where you add whatever you like. It could be a vegetable garden, pavers, natural stone, an area with a basketball hoop, a horseshoe pit, etc. The basics of the backyard are already covered in other categories so this is where you add whatever it is you like to do.
Conclusion
Backyard landscaping doesn’t have to be super expensive. There are a lot of ways to save money and most people can DIY at least part of the yard. Those with more skill can do the whole thing on their own.
So take your time, plan, seek the help of a professional if needed and enjoy the space. Even if it takes a few years like it did for me.
What are some of your backyard landscaping ideas on a budget?
